North East England - Steam Days Screenshots - Large Screenshots Possible

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Thanks Annie. If I recall correctly the line limit for the Vale of York section was 96 wagons ( a "wagon" for the count being a 10 Ton 4-wheel open general merchandise wagon ). Coal hoppers and bogie wagons were counted differently. The absolute limit through Newcastle Central via the King Edward bridge was 54, which was a pinch point on the E.C.M.L. My guess is that Heaton, Low Fell, Blaydon/Addison and Gateshead Park lane yards expended some effort splitting longer rakes for crossing the Tyne.

Whether any effort was expended making them up again after crossing might not have taken place, at least for Up trains. Heaton may well have remade long down trains for heading north to Tweedmouth and Scotland. Sorting for Up trains could be left to Croft yard for trains passing Darlington and to Newport yard for trains passing Stockton on their way towards Northallerton.

There was a choice of at least three lines heading south from the Tyne

1. The E.C.M.L. through Durham, Ferryhill and Darlington.
a. The E.C.M.L. as far as Durham, then diverting off the E.C.M.L. via Bishop Auckland and Shildon to regain the E.C.M.L. at Darlington.
2. The Leamside line from Pelaw to Tursdale, then to Ferryhill and back to the E.C.M.L.
a. The Leamside line from Pelaw to Tursdale, then to Ferryhill and via Redmarshall and Stockton to reach the Leeds Northern route and rejoin the E.C.M.L. at Northallerton.
b. The Leamside line from Pelaw to Tursdale, then to Ferryhill and via Redmarshall and Stockton to reach the Leeds Northern route and continue on via Northallerton and Ripon, regaining the E.C.M.L, at York.
3. The Coast Line through Sunderland, West Hartlepool and Stockton to reach the Leeds Northern route and rejoin the E.C.M.L. at Northallerton.
a. The Coast Line through Sunderland, West Hartlepool and Stockton to reach the Leeds Northern route and continue on via Northallerton and Ripon, regaining the E.C.M.L, at York.

The traffic people on the E.C.M.L. were rather strict on getting freight out of the way of express passenger trains. Freight meant for sorting at Croft yard just to the south of Darlington would keep to route options 1, 1a and 2.

E.C.M.L. Northumberland

Northumberland in N.E.R. days, with a P3 Class on humble pick up goods duties. The road wagon for the line between Morpeth and Alnwick, wagonload traffic for the stations en-route, domestic coking coal for Alnwick and a rake of loco coal wagons for Alnmouth shed.

In the down independent line north of Chevington station, the P3 is passed by a T.W. Worsdell G Class 4-4-0 accelerating away to make its next call at Acklington while en-route to Alnwick.

The branch passenger train from Chevington to Amble in the hands of a T.W.Worsdell A Class 2-4-2T.

1948 - Back to Brandon

North east England during the steam era. Post-nationalisation in 1948, All of the former N.E.R. Worsdell J27 0-6-0s passed in to British Railways ownership, with most concentrated either side of the River Tyne and doing what they had done for years, hauling coal trains and short-distance goods services.

Below, during the early six til two morning shift, a J27 from Sunderland shed hauls coal empties towards Brandon on the Durham - Bishop Auckland branch in County Durham.

Below, the J27 passes through Brandon Colliery station.

Shortly afterwards, a grubbier classmate heads the other way through Brandon Colliery station heading towards Relly Mill junction and Durham. From there it could head along the E.C.M.L. towards Low Fell yard, or take the Sunderland branch at Newton Hall junction, which could mean that either Sunderland, Tyne Dock or even Gateshead Park Lane could be the destination.

Thanks Annie. While nationalisation happened at the beginning of 1948 there was a transition period which had not been completed by mid-1949 when changes came in with the early BR logo, and then slightly later during 1950 with smokebox shedcodes. "Summer 1948" can have J27s with LNER lettered tenders and LNER numbers, several with E-prefixes to cabside numbers and BRITISH RAILWAYS tenders (but neither smokebox shed code no smokebox number plate) and 6XXXX cabside numbers, BRITISH RAILWAYS lettered tenders and smokebox numberplates (mid-1948 onwards) but no smokebox shedcode plates. As far as coaches are concerned some came out of the shops brand new in 1948 and 1949 in teak paint. Carriages produced before 1948 did not get carmine livery or carmine and cream livery until as late as 1952. Geberally, locomotives and carriages employed on the premier east coast express passenger trains received attention first but it was not entirely the case. Because it was a process limited by the capacity of the works and the schedule of works visits it inevitably took time to repaint all of them. Sheds did some painting of numbers, with varying results.

Steve Banks even has some shots on his website from 1967 recording Bradford portions for Kings Cross where two maroon BR Mk1 carriages are present along with one in blue and grey behind an ex-LMS 2-6-4! Such a consist will get some folks all in a lather but the 1960s, like 1948-52 was a period of transition.

Yes it certainly was an interesting time with everything in transition and that's what I like about it. My own layout Middle Vale is dated 1949-1952 with a small number of engines carrying the first BR totem, but most still with BRITISH RAILWAYS on the their tender and tank sides. A lot of my goods wagons are still carrying the markings of their former owners as well.

1947: A hard day's night

North east England during the steam era. Towards the end of the 2 til 10 late shift there's a rake of empty coal hoppers to be moved from Low Fell yard to Pelaw, ready to be taken onwards to Fencehouses first thing on the morning shift.

Below, 5884 starts the climb to King Edward Junction. Running tender first since Low Fell yard has no turntable.

1925 Leamside Line

Thanks Annie.

Most mineral operations across the N.E.R. and later the N.E. Area of the L.N.E.R. were ad-hoc, determined by the orders received the previous day/overnight from the colliery agents for empty wagons and loads for collection. These would be forwarded to the sheds and yards where the foremen would allocate the locos, wagons, footplate crew and guards required to accomplish the day's work. Generally, there would be greater demand during the colder months of the year, but even then the workload varied. Minerals were moved from the collieries between 6 a.m. Monday and 2 p.m. Saturday, though periods of emergency could demand seven-day working.

Below, a TS12 shot. Circa 1924, Worsdell J27 0-6-0 number 2339 is on the Leamside line (connecting Ferryhill on the E.C.M.L. to Pelaw on the Gateshead to Sunderland Line). The loco has empty coal hoppers the Adventure Pit, located to the north of Leamside station.

No. 2339 was built at Darlington in 1921, entering traffic in December that year. Turned out as a superheated engine. This was in vogue with the N.E.R. at the time. Twenty-five J27s were built with superheating between 1921 and 1922, with a further ten arriving in 1923. However, while longer distance and higher speed runs justified the expenditure on fitting the equipment, the nature of local mineral workings, with short runs, slow speeds and long periods standing around waiting in yards or colliery exchange sidings, meant that it was a waste of money on the J27s. Removal began from 1943, though five actually kept it until withdrawal between 1959 and 1963! (Nos. 65866 (2344/5866), 65871 (2349/5871), 65883 (2361/5883), 65887 (2384/5887) and 65890 (2388/5890). A further example, No. 65880 (2358/5880) probably kept it since the R.C.T.S. record was compiled in late 1966/early 1967 (page 182 of Part 5 reports: "it is anticipated that the J27 class will continue to work this traffic until 1968". The last J27 was withdrawn in September 1967.

BTP Steam Autocar

North east England during the steam era. In 1905 the North Eastern Railway decided to use some surplus Fletcher BTP 0-4-4T locos built during the 1870s to power steam autocars. The objective was to save costs by eliminating the need to run around at terminal stations, which also permitted quicker turnarounds. The downside was a reduction in flexibility, particularly with strengthening, though some did run with a strengthening 6-wheeler. This meant that at the terminal destination a pilot loco had to remove the strengthener and switch ends so the driver could see on the return journey. If no station pilot was available then the steam autocar would have to run round the strengthener! the typical arrangement was the BTP situated in the middle of two driving van composites, though some services ran with a single Driving van composite.

The company converted several bogie Third Carriages to Driving van Composites, designating them Diagram 116. Utilising 52ft carriages for the conversion meant that Third Class passengers did get a little extra legroom compared to that in the typical 49ft ordinary N.E.R. carriage. Compartments were 6ft 4 and a half inches long rather than the typical 5ft 11 and a half inches found in a 49ft carriage. First Class passengers were short-changed though. A 49ft carriage normally had a First Class compartment of 7ft 1 and a half inches in size. the single First Class compartment in the Diagram 116 was the same as the Third Class at 6ft 4 and a half inches, though it did have better upholstery than the Third Class, to give the illusion of premium travel.

Below, in 1913. the 7:45 a.m. steam autocar from Sunderland to Durham approaches Leamside station. The express passenger lamps are correct, as the service ran non-stop between Sunderland and Durham, taking 28 minutes. Another steam autocar would follow, calling at Leamside at 8:38 a.m. but that was the 7:53 a.m. Newcastle to Durham via Leamside, calling at all stations and reaching Durham at 8:47 a.m.

Passing through Leamside station.

Taking the line for Durham at Auckland junction.

The N.E.R. used the steam autocars on more than just "sleepy country branch line passenger services". Carriage rosters for them could be intense and range across relatively long distances. The shuttle service between West Hartlepool and Hartlepool stations was an example of an intensive service. Another roster that started and finished in Sunderland roamed as far as Barnard Castle during the day. There were still a number of steam autocar services operating at the grouping, though the L.N.E.R. would dispense with them by 1928 as Clayton and Sentinel Steam Railcars were introduced. The branch service between Middlesbrough and Guisborough was the last service they were used on. with several BTP locomotives ending their days there.

1919 E.C.M.L. Z Class and the 10:35 a.m. from London

North east England during the steam era. Among one of the less common sights on the E.C.M.L. was the daily 10:35 a.m. express passenger train from London, which combined at York with Midland Railway through coaches from Bristol to Newcastle. The Midland Railway advertised this in April 1910's Bradshaw's as "The Newcastle Corridor Express Restaurant Car Bristol to Newcastle". The North Eastern Railway passenger timetables for October 1912 to March 1913 also lists the Bristol train as having dining facilities. The July 1914 Through Carriage Working Instructions list the Bristol portion of Brake Third, Composite and Brake Third as non-corridor carriages but it would appear that since at least April 1910 these carriages had in fact been corridor types. The East Coast Joint Stock Company would surely have known this so I do not know why the 1914 T.C.W.I. did not reflect this. A salutory lesson about how multiple sources can contradict each other. Even in "the good old days" nobody was perfect.

Below, the Midland through carriages, two Brake thirds and a Composite fly north behind a North Eastern Z Class top-link express engine.

The station call at Newcastle Central station will be busy. There will be an engine change, for another Atlantic 4-4-2 of V or Z Class, of Gateshead shed, while the Midland Railway carriages are detached from the front and an N.E.R. portion for Alnmouth will be attached at the rear. This N.E.R. portion will be non-corridor carriages, so those passengers will be isolated from the E.C.J.S. portion.